


Night Owls

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, lowkey pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-10-09 13:51:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10413627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Neither can sleep, both end up on the training deck.





	

The cool metal of the ship felt good against Shiro’s bare feet. He leaned his forehead against the bathroom mirror, hoping to relieve the burning heat of his skin. Drawing back with a sigh, he gazed at his own reflection.

He always looked so tired.

Shiro ran a finger over the textured skin of his scar, a hand through the shock of white hair that fell limply over his forehead. The Galra were real; what they did to him was real. But it was over.

_It was over._

He looked down, dragging a hand over his face when he realized he was clutching at the sink with white knuckles. It was clear he wasn’t going to sleep that night.

 

Allura threw her hairbrush down with more force than she intended. The mice peeped at her from the bed, but she reassured them with a wave of her hand.

Her eyes reflected the bright lights of the vanity, but it was a false glow. Really, they were dull and tired. She blinked.

Her gaze held steady in the mirror as tilted her head left and right, observing her face from different angles. She never noticed how similar her eyes were to her father’s. Her nose was almost a carbon copy of her mother’s.

Allura stood up abruptly, her stool scraping against the floor.

Sometimes she hated looking in the mirror.

 

Shiro hated the castle’s automatic lights (no matter how much Pidge insisted they were energy efficient). The way the hallway illuminated itself in front of him felt like some force was beckoning him forward. He hated to be led.

He was surprised to turn the corner and find the entrance to the training room brightly lit. A grunt from inside answered Shiro’s question- someone had already activated the lights.

He slipped through the automatic door to see Allura engaged in a fierce round of training, her cries of effort mixed with the clanging of metal staffs. She was barefoot, clad in an athletic tank top and shorts. An odd flush came into Shiro’s face when it occurred to him that he had never seen her legs exposed before; he almost felt like he shouldn’t be watching.

 _What was he thinking?_ Shiro shook his head, reprimanding himself and refocusing on his warm ups.

Allura didn’t notice Shiro come in, but what had been tight concentration began to slip when she noticed him leaning against the wall, his eyes on her. She couldn’t help but glance over at him, trying to discern the expression on his face; that is, until the metal staff of the Gladiator nearly cracked her skull. Allura blocked the strike with a grunt, pushing the robot back and refocusing her energy. She blocked jab after jab, aggressively lunging at every opportunity she saw. Just her and the training deck. No silent figure watching her with soft eyes. No sharp jaw cocking every time she missed an opportunity.

Her eyes slid back towards the door. No face watching her, just lean back muscles stretching under a training suit. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of scars lay under the black fabric.

Without warning the world went black. A sudden burst of pain radiated from her gut. Allura was thrown through the air, landing on her back with a thud. “End training program,” Allura commanded the castle through wincing breaths. The Gladiator, standing triumphantly over her, faded from existence. Allura gently lowered her head to the ground with a huff. Some princess, getting distracted so easily- and by a paladin. And by _Shiro_. She wished she hadn’t noticed the twinge in her chest when his name crossed her mind. _What was she thinking?_

“Need any help?” A voice, half concerned and half amused, came from above her. Allura’s eyes flickered open to see Shiro’s face smirking down at her.

With pursed lips she ignored his outstretched hand and pushed herself off from the ground. “Thank you, but I’m fine.” She rubbed her dully aching stomach. “Just a little disoriented.”

“Yeah, it seems like the Gladiator really got you on that one,” Shiro smiled, finding himself amused by Allura’s surly expression, “I have to say I’m surprised, Princess.”

“I’ll admit I was a little rusty, but I guess it’s good to be prepared in case the Galra attack in the middle of the night,” a twinkle came into Allura’s eye, “I suppose that’s why you’re here, too?”

Shiro raised an eyebrow, his smile slowly fading. “Something like that.”

Allura only responded with a nod, but both had a sense that something kindred passed between them. After a quiet moment she asked, “Care to go a few rounds, Paladin?”

The smirk returned to Shiro’s face as he clenched his fist, powering up his right hand. “I’d be delighted, Princess.”

As Shiro took a few steps back, slinking into a defensive posture, Allura squared her shoulders and adjusted her grip on the chrome staff. “Don’t expect me to go easy on you,” she taunted, the two of them beginning to circle with cautious steps.

“The way you were fighting earlier, you won’t need to-” Shiro flashed a smile before lunging in for a jab.

While the rest of the castle slept peacefully, the two night owls danced around each other on the training deck, their routine accented by grunts and the clang of metal against metal. Every advance was met with a skillful block, neither able to gain footing against the other. Even as their breathing became labored neither slowed nor stopped; when Shiro knocked the staff from Allura’s grip, he simply powered down his prosthetic and continued hand to hand, skin to skin.

Allura’s eyes met Shiro’s with a flash, her mind racing to calculate his next move. The sluggishness that had plagued her earlier in the night receded further and further with every hit of her arm against his. Finally, she saw her move; a slight hesitation in his left side was all she needed to throw him onto his back.

Shiro hit the floor with a grunt, his head spinning. Allura knelt next to him, her forearm pinning his heaving chest. They froze like that- looking silently at each other as they gasped for air- until Shiro closed his eyes with a weak chuckle.

The sound- so uncommon to hear from Shiro- nudged Allura out of her reverie. She relaxed, dropping from her position on one knee to sit cross legged. “I told you I wouldn’t go easy on you,” she joshed, her breath coming back to her.

Shiro sat up with some effort, his respiratory system still struggling to catch up with the Altean’s. “I wouldn’t have it any other way- especially at three in the morning.” As he looked at her, he couldn’t help but be amazed- her up-do was still perfectly intact, not a strand out of place, and she seemed to have barely broken a sweat. Shiro wondered if dark circles, like the ones that pooled on his own face, ever even tinged the crystalline eyes that blinked back at him.

Allura always seemed to think of a million questions when she looked into the shadowy depths of Shiro’s eyes. Her gaze raked over the horizontal scar. His thick lashes seemed to flutter at her, inviting her to ask- she had to bite her tongue.

The nip of pain seemed to refocus her; it was only then that she realized how long her hand had been resting against Shiro’s warm chest. She stood up abruptly, trying to save face and ignore her oddly burning cheeks. “Well- um,” she cleared her throat, “Thank you, Shiro. I should get ready for bed- long day tomorrow.”

Shiro clamored off the floor, crossing his arms over his oddly beating chest. “Of course.” He walked with her across the floor, hesitating as the hallway door slid open before him. “Goodnight,” he paused for a beat, “Allura.”

Allura nodded, her eyes trailing after his figure as he disappeared down the hallway. She grabbed her duffel bag with a sigh, too tired to decipher the satisfied feeling that glowed in her chest.


End file.
